[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51331-51332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20851]
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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
Agency Forms Submitted for OMB Review, Request for Comments
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding 3
Information Collection Requests (ICR) to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our
ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public.
Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate
paperwork burdens.
The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information
to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the
accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is
the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of
collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the
RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper
consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive
them within 30 days of the publication date.
Title and Purpose of information collection: Railroad Separation
Allowance or Severance Pay Report; OMB 3220-0173.
Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act provides for a lump-sum
payment to an employee or the employee's survivors equal to the Tier II
taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or severance
payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward
retirement. The lump-sum is not payable until retirement benefits begin
to accrue or the employee dies. Also, Section 4(a-1)(iii) of the
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides that a railroad employee
who is paid a separation allowance is disqualified for unemployment and
sickness benefits for the period of time the employee would have to
work to earn the amount of the allowance. The reporting requirements
are specified in 20 CFR 209.14.
In order to calculate and provide payments, the Railroad Retirement
Board (RRB) must collect and maintain records of separation allowances
and severance payments which were subject to Tier II taxation from
railroad employers. The RRB uses Form BA-9, Report of Separation
Allowance or Severance Pay, to obtain information from railroad
employers concerning the separation allowances and severance payments
made to railroad employees and/or the survivors of railroad employees.
Employers currently have the option of submitting their reports on
paper Form BA-9, (or in like format) on a CD-ROM disk, or by File
Transfer Protocol (FTP), or secure Email. Completion is mandatory. One
response is requested of each respondent.
Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the
initial 60-day notice (80 FR 23307 on April 27, 2015) required by 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.
Information Collection Request (ICR)
Title: Railroad Separation Allowance or Severance Pay Report.
OMB Control Number: 3220-0173.
Form(s) submitted: BA-9.
Type of request: Revision of currently approved collection.
Affected public: Private Sector; Businesses or other for profits.
Abstract: Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act provides for a
lump-sum payment to an employee or the employee's survivor equal to the
Tier II taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or
severance payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward
retirement. The collection obtains information concerning the
separation allowances and severance payments paid from railroad
employers.
Changes proposed: The RRB proposes the implementation of an
Internet equivalent version of Form BA-9 that can be submitted through
the RRB's Employer Reporting System (ERS).
The burden estimate for the ICR is as follows:
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Annual
Form number responses Time (minutes) Burden (hours)
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BA-9 (Paper).................................................... 100 76 127
BA-9 (Internet)................................................. 215 15 54
BA-9 (CD-ROM)................................................... 10 76 13
BA-9 (secure Email)............................................. 25 76 32
[[Page 51332]]
BA-9 (FTP)...................................................... 10 76 13
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Total....................................................... 360 .............. 239
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Additional Information or Comments: Copies of the forms and
supporting documents can be obtained from Dana Hickman at (312) 751-
4981 or [email protected].
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed
to Charles Mierzwa, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street,
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or [email protected] and to the OMB
Desk Officer for the RRB, Fax: 202-395-6974, Email address:
[email protected].
Charles Mierzwa,
Chief of Information Resources Management.
[FR Doc. 2015-20851 Filed 8-21-15; 8:45 am]
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